The Now Now
| Gorillaz
The Now Now
The Now Now is the sixth studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz. The album was released on 29 June 2018 via Parlophoneand Warner Bros. Records. Recording began during the North American leg of the Humanz Tour in late 2017. According to Gorillaz co-creator, Damon Albarn, the album was recorded quickly so that the band would have more material to play at future concerts. The album was first teased through a series of posters found at All Points East festival, and was officially announced two days later. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Pitchfork
The allure of isolation defines Damon Albarn’s latest project. With only a few guests on the album, he writes simple, mostly upbeat songs with words of exhaustion.
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NME
The follow-up to 2017’s bloated ‘Humanz’ is a trim and spritely listen.
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Rolling Stone
Damon Albarn trims down the guest list and focuses his songwriting on the band’s most coherent LP to date.
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Consequence of Sound
Maybe that’s the kind of art we need in these dark times, which alternately demand quiet reflection, collective resistance, and, yes, the occasional thrill of a good party to keep hope alive. For now, Gorillaz seem content to oscillate between extremes, a futuristic pop powerhouse that cannot decide what the future looks like.
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The Guardian
The Now Now is a breezy calm after Humanz’s storm.
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SPIN
The moment of optimism, like passing cars on the highway, is somewhat fleeting—a moment of emotional ephemera that makes perfect sense on The Now Now, a record that’s more reflective and human than you’d ever expect from a band of literal cartoons.
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The 405
Damon Albarn unleashes some deep space funk on new Gorillaz record, however most of the tropes found within are a few years too late.
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The Line of Best Fit
It’s no Plastic Beach, but, by ditching the often hackneyed attempts to stay relevant that verged on self-parody and digging into their identity and other existential fears, Gorillaz have demonstrated that they still have the power to feel vital.
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The National
There’s nothing ground- breaking on The Now Now, and no real stand-out tracks in the vein of Plastic Beach or Clint Eastwood. Gorillaz have found a sound that works for them, and their fans, and stuck to it.
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PopMatters
It might seem churlish to wax on the future of a band that's given us two albums in two years, but it's hard not to see The Now Now as Albarn's way of killing the beast, a plane hovering around the Empire State.
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Music OMH
The album flows well, with a funky instrumental interlude picking up the pace nicely around the middle and its relatively short run time making it a light and breezy experience.
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Drowned in Sound
It may be overly critical to complain that The Now Now is merely a collection of decent songs but Gorillaz can be so much better than that. The group’s first three albums were one of the most effective and surprising left-turns by a British artist in pop history. It’s easy in hindsight to see why ‘Clint Eastwood’ and ‘Feel Good Inc’ were hits but it was never guaranteed that Albarn’s fans would welcome his move to dub and hip-hop. Even now, they stand out as some of the strangest hit singles of the 2000s. In comparison, The Now Now is an easy album to forget and one that lacks a sense of purpose.
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Paste Magazine
Albarn could be singing about a lady or he could be speaking to the U.S. as a whole, feeling sad for a country that produced a beautiful, complicated city like L.A. He still loves it, but he has to go now. Take us with you.
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Sputnik Music
A surprising album for one of the group's best.
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Under the Radar Mag
Even if The Now Now comes across as a solo effort from Albarn, it is still a far improvement on the bloated and playlist-y nature of Humanz which masked everything that is interesting about Gorillaz in its Jumbotron collaborators. Albarn is at his most interesting when he is in the spotlight.
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Irish Times
However, where once there was manic laughter, such as on their 2005 single Feel Good Inc, The Now Now carries the burden of the never-ending slew of bad news. We’re beyond the point of laughing. Lost and despondent, the mask and the anarchy of the animated band is fading, with the human side becoming clearer and clearer.
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The New York Times
In the mysterious chemistry of songwriting, the partnership with Mr. Hewlett’s visuals has been a reliable catalyst. Behind the cartoon mask, there’s freedom.
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San Francisco Chronicle
After two decades of channeling his wildest ideas through Gorillaz, it’s the palate cleanser Albarn needed.
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NPR
Co-created by visual artist Jamie Hewlett and musician Damon Albarn, Gorillaz is fronted by four animated characters — but critic Ken Tucker says there's "nothing cartoonish" about the new album.
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star2
The Now Now will test even die-hard fans and reveal that the endless gimmickry from the so-called world’s first virtual band can eventually grate.
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Loud and Quiet
‘The Now Now’ may as well be a different band entirely, but from time to time (the sleepily addictive chorus on ‘Humility’; ‘Fire Flies’’ skewiff waltz; the push-and-pull of lazy vocals against four-square drum programming on ‘Souk Eye’) the sound of Albarn writing his distinctive iteration of chart pop cuts through.
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Boston Globe
How much Gorillaz fans enjoy “The Now Now” will depend on why they became fans in the first place. Anyone captivated by Hewlett’s world-building will probably feel a little let down, as will those who fell for their eclectic, big-tent approach to pop. That leaves the Damon Albarn diehards, and since this is essentially an Albarn solo album, they’re probably its ideal audience anyway. “The Now Now” will make for a perfectly pleasant soundtrack to your next rainy day, but hopefully it doesn’t take half a decade for Gorillaz to rediscover their ambition.
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Niner Times
“The Now Now” is an album that I feel neutral about in the end. It’s more consistent but lacks the charm that their earlier albums had. This isn’t something I would voluntarily listen to, but something I would be okay with if I was walking around in a mall. Just keep those visualizers away from me.
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Gulf News
The 11-track collection includes some of Gorillaz’s funkiest riffs and also some of the weakest tunes.
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The Young Folks
The Now Now is an aimless and boring affair. While Albarn has always displayed loneliness in creative ways before, his lyrics seem bored and unfocused. And even then the music isn’t taking any risks or even recycling the interesting elements of Gorillaz’s sound.
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Redbrick
If you like the Gorillaz as a more slow ballard-y group then this album is for you, but if you’re like me and prefer something more experimental, this comes as a bit of a disappointment.
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The Current
After multiple listens to "The Now Now," the beauty of what happens on a Gorillaz album is the juxtaposition of heavy handed electronic music influences next to the rock and ambient moments that you would expect from the band's lead singer. That's part of the concept behind the virtual band. There are no boundaries for what can be included on a Gorillaz album, and that's what you hear on "The Now Now".
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XS Noize
The combination of animation and fiction have allowed Gorillaz over the past two decades to evolve in a unique way few other bands (including Blur) wouldn’t have been able to. There is still demand for more seasons to be made in the animated soap opera known to the world as Gorillaz.
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Crack Magazine
The Now Now is irresistibly chilled and the perfect palate cleanser a year on from Humanz‘s end-of-days disarray.
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Esquire
If Humanz was the virtual band catching up on what they missed out over all those years, The Now Now is them pausing to reflect. It's a more moving and engrossing album for it - proof Gorillaz are still a musical force to be reckoned with.
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Strife the Magazine
Gorillaz, the virtual alternative band led by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett, have officially released their much anticipated album The NOW NOW. The album is entirely written from 2-D’s perspective, and brings light to heavy topics such as addiction and self-destructive behaviors.
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The Breeze
Some of the songs shine above the rest, but making music is not a race, even if it’s fueled by a deep passion for creating. It doesn’t have to take seven years to create an great album, but it also doesn’t take nine months to make one either.
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Atwood Magazine
The Now Now proves that Damon Albarn still possesses the remarkable ability of spending a single month in the studio (which is reportedly all it took for this record to be made) and emerging with lively, engaging material that keeps his virtual brainchildren going strong as their third decade of digital existence dawns.
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Meaww
With a total run time of 40 minutes, it is much trimmer and skims off all the fat that weighed 'Humanz' down. The album is also an emphatic statement from Albarn. A statement which says that Gorillaz isn't done yet, that he has something more to say and that he's going to say it the only way he knows - via the sound, style and infinite swagger of the world's most notorious virtual band.
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Highsnobiety
If you are looking for nothing more than an inoffensive soundtrack to your garden party that’s appropriate for all ages, or you’re lying on the beach too stoned to pick a playlist, The Now Now is ideal.
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Exclaim!
All in all, The Now Now feels fresh and present. Gorillaz have performed a type of sonic reset by stripping back their cast of collaborators, yet it exemplifies the strength of the songwriting at the group's core.
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Amnplify
For what could have been an incredible album that carefully accentuates it’s influences and makes way for powerful lyrics, it failed to meet my expectations.
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DIY Mag
A more spaced-out affair, stripped of its star-studded collaborations and bathed in the apparent apathy of the modern age.
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WERS Radio
Though it’s undeniably fun to listen to, the impact of The Now Now won’t be as lasting as Demon Days or Plastic Beach, sadly. With such a title as The Now Now, it’s possible that the album was never intended to last beyond the present. Instead, it may be intended just to be enjoyed in the now.
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Soundblab
If Humanz left you a bit down…or suicidal...then The Now Now is your antidote, your vacation; they are as far apart from each other as Grozny is from Monaco. There might be less pathos to sink your teeth into and wring your hands over on The Now Now, but there is a lot more accessibility and fun.
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The Musical Hype
All in all, musically, it’s an enjoyable Gorillaz album with its fair share of gems. Here’s the thing with Gorillaz though. How invested you are likely changes your viewpoint of the collective. Is the music itself the highlight, the animation, or is it a combination of both. If you’re hardcore into the total artwork – the Gesamtkunstwerk – you probably appreciate everything about the collective more. If you’re more focused on the music product like myself, this project is good, but also has its fair share of question marks, much like the ‘Magic City.’
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Independent
Where their first three albums demanded your attention, The Now Now glides past, failing to confront the listener for the most part, and containing just enough solid songs to not fall into the lower echelons of Albarn’s work. And perhaps that’s all the frontman was going for – a couple of killer tracks that will make great additions to the live set.
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LONDON IN STEREO
‘The Now Now’ feels like a welcomed return to old sounds, troupes and swagger. Without relying on big names and heavy beats, the return to electro-infused hip-hop pop gives ‘Plastic Beach’ vibes while offering something fresh. As the cartoon storyline develops (remember Murdoc is trapped in prison) let’s hope the tunes keep coming with just as much vigour and style.
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All Music
The Now Now finds Albarn turning inward, finding solace in old sounds -- particularly disco and old school hip-hop -- while musing about the darker winds that blow outside of his door. Perhaps this doesn't make for a listen that's as wild or adventurous as its companion, but it's ultimately more satisfying, as the internal journey mirrors the evolution of the pop landscape in the 21st century. What was once a rowdy, colorful party is now a soundtrack for bittersweet solitude.
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Music In Sight
Overall, there’s a lot to enjoy here, but this isn’t your typical Gorillaz record, nor a record you can simply enjoy whenever suits. This is very much a mood record.
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Chicago Tribune
'The Now Now,' is an empty melting pot.
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Diandra Reviews It All
The Now Now feels like Gorillaz’s biggest settlement into their natural experimentation. This group/ band of cartoons were innovators, and have becomes guides to a music scene that lauds experimentation versus its years of diminishing such “crazy” ideas. Thus, their new albums, oddly enough, feel present in this music scene.
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Hotpress
Now on the go for 20 years, Gorillaz remain one of the most cutting edge pop acts around.
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Spill Magazine
The humble attempt at creating a downplayed album full of hit tunes wasn’t missed by Damon Albarn, and its simplistic absurdity is what makes The Now Now a must-listen for fans and non-fans alike.
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Clash Magazine
That the ‘World’s Most Successful Virtual Band’ sounds like something you’ve probably seen on the YouTube sidebar is apt. Otherwise, it seems to be business as usual on another jubilant and solidly varied Gorillaz album.
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Cryptic Rock
The overall vibe is heavy in good feels, with a few moments of deeper contemplation; a journey that is as much self-discovery as it is whimsical aural delight. In fact, The Now Now is such a stony good time that you are going to need a snack afterward. Don’t say you weren’t warned!
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AAA Backstage
Let’s just say if the Gorillaz was in a blind audition of the singing competition “The Voice”, they would make the judges bop their head and snap their fingers, but they wouldn’t make them turn their chairs.
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The Times
It is only a year since the hardest-working man in British music, Damon Albarn, released his previous album with Gorillaz, the weighty, cameo-filled Humanz. It didn’t deliver commercially, so Albarn has returned with a more accessible, lighter piece — featherlight, in fact
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NZ Herald
While it won't change - or end - the world, The Now Now doesn't disappoint, with Albarn proving he's equally adept at starting the party as he is at ending it.
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Telegraph
Damon Albarn finally sees that less is more.
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Immortal Reviews
Gorillaz settle into their new sound in The Now Now, finding that perfect balance of whimsical and chill funk to keep true to their sound while still expanding upon in constructively. It's definitely a breath of fresh air for apprehensive fans and for the band itself, and while it's not quite on the level of the classics, it definitely shows Gorillaz isn't afraid to tackle something fresh and keep the meaning alive.
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The Skinny
Gorillaz's latest album The Now Now celebrates the interpenetration of alternate realities and our mundane. It’s a reminder that realities, real or otherwise, are shared.
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The Arts Desk
Damon Albarn moves front and centre in a surprisingly upbeat record.
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Mole Street Artists
The Now Now brings the listener closer to the connection of the colorful backstory of Gorillaz and finds a clever way to include listeners to the turmoil experienced by the band indefinitely losing one of their members. Regardless of where the band’s dramatic story line may go from here, this album won’t disappoint longtime fans of Gorillaz, and is still enjoyable by those who might be attracted to their music for the first time.
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Japan Times
The most successful moments in Gorillaz’ enviable five-studio-album career have always come as eclectic pairings with the greats of the music world.
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Gigwise
But if we agree that Gorillaz, at their sparkling best, are a fully-realised, postmodern, three-dimensional work of groundbreaking concept art, why does so much of this record feel like it was dreamed up on the back of an envelope?
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Comm Media
The Now Now is a return to proper form and is a positive indication of what’s to come if Albarn ever returns to his virtual project. He is working on a new album for one of his many forays, The Good, The Bad and The Queen, and don’t be surprised if a new Blur album is on the horizon. The Now Now is a great choice for those wanting a mellow sounding album.
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Doubtful Sounds
The Now Now is a deeper than normal listen and a welcome balancing addition to the Gorillaz discography. It’s also, tantalisingly, the closest we’ve come to a new solo record from Albarn.
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Sungenre
The animated wonders will always hold a soft spot in our hearts, but The Now Now doesn’t quite contend with the Gorillaz we all know and love.
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Renowned for Sound
Whilst this record works well on exploring what Gorillaz are at their very core, it lacks the sharp wit and experimental vibe that has been present through their past releases. It reads more as a Damon Albarn solo project than a cartoon band’s world laid bare, and because of that there is a skewed realisation that Gorillaz are no longer the fully separate entity that made them so exciting all those years ago.
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We Plug Good Music
At times the high-production level can result in a somewhat manufactured aesthetic (as on “Tranz“), but overall it is a good aspect, and gives The Now Now a strong finishing touch that make it a strong piece of work, hopefully indicative of Gorillaz albums yet to come.
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Outright Geekery
Gorillaz has hit a winning formula with The Now Now. Damon has given us a Gorillaz focused album with slick funk, dance and Hip-Hop vibes. The lyrics have a simplicity with a complex center. The Now Now is a summer album to remember.
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The Fire Note
The follow-up to last year’s “Humanz,” finds Gorillaz leaning more on singer Damon Albarn (Blur) than the hip-hop collaborations that drove previous hits up the charts.
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The Sentry
With rudimentary synth-reliant rhythms and melancholy lyrics, the tracks begin to blend together into one homogenous generic Gorillaz track, devoid of any ingenuity. The tracks are not intolerable but hardly bring anything new to the table. Ultimately, The Now Now is forgettable due to its own complacence.
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Gav the Gothic Chav
Sadly however, highlights over these 11 tracks exist in much the same way Harambe does; i.e. he doesn’t, not anymore anyway (RIP you majestic beast).
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Northern Transmissions
As it hits its distorted finale however, there’s such an overpowering emotion to all the melody’s and sounds flying that you’ll get goose bumps.
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Nest HQ
In short, don’t let the haters steer you away from The Now Now – a Gorillaz album is never what anyone expected and that’s the best part.
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Hand Me The Aux
In place of where it can lack the density, the Gorillaz utilizes The Now Now as a reminder to stay curious, and even a bit childish, no matter what age.
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Livewire 1350
Whilst it's not as experimental or grand as their previous releases, Gorillaz have made an album not to be analysed or dissected but just to bob your head to and enjoy the synths.
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The Soundboard
It’s good to see something here that potentially signifies an improvement, but for as much of a botched mess as Humanz was, it was interesting to talk about; The Now Now can’t even manage that.
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Metro News
Like all the best bits on this unashamedly superficial record, they’re swiped past casually without ever being developed into anything that leaves a lasting impression.
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LoudSound Magazine
The Now Now is a gorgeously plain variant from the Gorillaz. The flashy friends are in short supply and the melodies showcase a mellow nature. Albarn’s deep lyricism and passionate croons over 2-D’s imaginary soul alleviate in a very real way. The Now Now is not the Gorillaz’ finest release, but it is definitely a worthy addition to an already stellar discography.
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Ultimate Guitar
Already working with bits and pieces of this retro dance music style in the past, "The Now Now" is where Gorillaz dedicate a near-exclusive attention to these sounds, rather than trying to splice them together with a plethora of other things like in "Plastic Beach" and "Humanz." As a result, "The Now Now" feels more focused at its core and less cluttered overall, and though Albarn still takes his moments to extend from that core and add a bit more, the dancefloor-oriented sound makes for a fun listen.
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Newsday
“The Now Now” is a far more muted affair compared to previous Gorillaz Technicolor extravaganzas. But it is still as well-crafted as ever, with funky breaks such as “Lake Zurich” balancing the stately synth pop of “One Percent.”
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The Roosevelt Review
Overall, it was refreshing to get a Gorillaz album with less of a time gap between albums, but it feels a little lacking in certain songs. Even with its faults, I would give the album as a whole a rank of 7/10, as it stands up well as an album.
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WMSC Radio
As one of their most well-received albums since Demon Days, The Now Now is the soundtrack to a unified world and a call to action for us all to better ourselves in a way that makes us happy from the outside in.
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The Student Playlist
An introspective companion piece to last year’s ‘Humanz’, ‘The Now Now’ is a quiet triumph for Damon Albarn and Gorillaz but still comes nowhere near the heights of their glory years.
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Mix 247 EDM
The Now Now is the greatest album by Gorillaz and was gifted to us this summer.
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Spectrum Pulse
The Now Now doesn't even really try.
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WRSU Radio
The Now Now brought me back to the Gorillaz. The music still makes me feel the same way it did years ago but it has a new, evolved form. It’s their duality that makes their music so successful.
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The Edge SUSU
Only a year after 'Humanz', Gorillaz are sounding invigorated and exciting with a handful of synthy summer tracks to wet your appetite.
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Classic Pop Magazine
The Now Now is probably the most human record Gorillaz have made, and it’s all the better for it. So yeah: Damon Albarn’s pretty clever. Get over it, why don’t you?
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QRO Magazine
The Now Now is remarkably less ambitious than usual from this very ambitious artist. In some ways, the quick release and lack of guests makes the album feel a bit like an addendum to Humanz, the sad, stripped pieces that didn’t fit on the former. But it is nice to see that Albarn & Gorillaz don’t need the guests to shine.
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Melodic Magazine
Gorillaz has been known for their animated music videos and expertise in mixing an unbelievable range of genres. After hearing this album, it is clear that these skills have not been lost and further proves that when there are mentions of collaborative projects from Gorillaz, they are going to be purely stellar.
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Medium
Overall, my first impressions of this album are much higher than I expected. The singles sparked my interest and the whole project did not disappoint the way Humanz did for me. The entire album has a distinct cohesive sound, and it sounds like the Gorillaz had a fun time playing with it!
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Altwire
It lacks the typical complexity, making it feel like a let down to those expecting a more individuality and collaborators. Despite this, the fact remains that some great work is included on this record. The Now Now shines as driving music because these smooth jams are perfect for being on the road. It deserves an honest, open minded listen when you’re the mood for it’s slower tempo. Its sounds envelop the senses like rose colored glasses, changing perceptions. The more I listen, the more pleased I am with how it feels.
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Giglist
The Now Now recaptures the sense of narrative that Humanz lost.
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Rap Analysis
This newest album is basically the sounds of Gorillaz (the 2001 debut album,) cut loose from the unifying thematic context of the natural-versus-artificial struggle. This is the very first Gorillaz album that pretty much does away with that specific, thematically-unifying context.
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Setlist.fm
The Now Now, Gorillaz's sixth full album, is finally here with an artful depiction of the band's fear of the future and their political disapproval. This album is a collection of dreary dance music that has features including George Benson, Snoop Dogg, and Jamie Principle.
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Spinditty
A clean, unified collection of tracks to listen to on long drives or while relaxing at the end of the day.
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Yahoo!
Maybe that’s the kind of art we need in these dark times, which alternately demand quiet reflection, collective resistance, and, yes, the occasional thrill of a good party to keep hope alive. For now, Gorillaz seem content to oscillate between extremes, a futuristic pop powerhouse that cannot decide what the future looks like.
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Albumism
A noticeably less expansive and ambitiously orchestrated affair than its precursor, 2017’s guest-heavy Humanz, Damon Albarn and crew’s sixth studio album still bangs with the best of ‘em . . And as expected, it sounds divine.
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Beat
This album is definitely worth more than a couple play-throughs, with many excellent hits, deep songs, and a more typical Gorillaz vibe. Feels more like a cousin to Plastic Beach, which isn't bad by any means.
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Pointless Reviews That I Wrote
I’m a fan and while it’s not as experimental or grand as their previous releases, Gorillaz have made an album not to be analysed or dissected but just to bob your head to and enjoy the synths.
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The McGill Tribune
If the The Now Now was Albarn’s attempt at producing a more mature, thoughtful album, then, for all intents and purposes, he succeeded. Were it any other band, the record would be an exemplary addition to their discography—a fine piece of work, but ultimately forgettable. There’s just something so disheartening about the fact that Gorillaz feels the need to grow up at all.
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Epitome of Epic
There’s not big hitters on this record, but The Now Now is an excellent listening experience as a whole. It has a very uplifting, upbeat feel, making the perfect soundtrack to the summer.
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Blogger's Gamut
In isolation, Gorillaz – or shall we say Albarn under the pseudonym of Gorillaz – have found themselves fluctuating through a creative stride of critical reflection, opening up the floor for a float through the cosmos of opinions. The Now Now, if its folky-funky-feely vibes can draw you in, will hold you in its champagne supernova-fuelled magic city for quite some time.
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